Re:Abandoned
by Sleepysloth91
Summary: The pain of loss can be a great one. But it's what we do with that pain that really defines us. After being abandoned by her trainer one day, a Mawile goes on a journey. Learning more about herself than she ever thought possible in the process. Rewrite of the other story.
1. The End at the Beginning

"That is the tenth lost in a row..." A teenage boy with shoulder length red hair sighed. He was sitting on a bench with his head down sulking. He was resting in the pokemon center in Violet city as he had lost to the gym leader Falkner, for his third time. It was late morning, the sun shining brightly though the windows of the building.

"I can't be that bad of a trainer right? I'm always trying my best to win." the boy whispered to himself. He glanced over at the TV and there was a commercial playing that had Professor Elm talking about the starter pokemon for new trainers. You simply had to go sign up in New Bark Town. It wasn't that far from here actually. He could go back and get one... but they might find out he ran from home. He couldn't risk it. Anything would be better than going back to live with that deadbeat dad of his.

He wiped his hands off on his blue jeans and stood up, hearing the alert that sounds to tell you that your pokemon are finished being treated. He crept his way to the counter and put his hands on the counter, while waiting for the nurse to come out.

"Your pokemon are all healed up." The nurse tells the boy as she walks up with a smile, putting the tray, holding his only pokemon mawile on the counter.

"Thanks, nurse joy." The teen told her. He grabbed his pokeball and started to walk away as nurse joy raised an eyebrow and stopped him. She'd seen him a lot lately and he always had a disgruntled look on his face. She tended to make it her job to not involve herself in other people's business, but she decided to make an exception this time. Something didn't seem right about him.

"Wait a minute." Nurse Joy called after the young trainer with a stern tone as she fixed him with a steady gaze. With a slight twitch of the eye he slowly turned around to look at the nurse, right into her blue eyes. He could tell she was being serious.

"Yes?" He asked her, trying his best not to sound annoyed. She was already cutting into his training time and it was pissing him off.

"Is everything ok? You've been coming here a lot recently. Are you in some kind of trouble?" He gave her the most fake smile he could muster.

"No, everything is fine. We're just having a tough time at Falkner's gym." He tried to smooth it out as fast as possible. He didn't need this right now. Why couldn't she just leave him alone?!

She lowered her eyes at him. Seems she didn't completely buy into what he was saying but didn't press any further.

"You know, you could always ask other trainers around here for advice. Also, I noticed that you have only one pokemon. Why not try to catch more? That usually makes things a lot easier than just trying to sweep with just one pokemon." The boy started clenching his fist as other random people nearby started to take notice. He needed to get out of here fast, as he was really getting pissed off now. Where does she get off butting into his business like this?! She should just shut up and fix my pokemon when I need it. That's what she's here for. The irate teen thought to himself. He decided it was best to bite his tongue for now as he didn't want to get any more attention than he already has.

Besides, even if he wanted to catch more pokemon, he couldn't because those cost money and he didn't have any. Seeing as he left without taking anything but the bare minimum. His father didn't leave any money around the house for him to steal so he was out of luck. At the very least he got free meals from the pokemon center but this nurse was already getting suspicious of him.

"That's a good idea, I think I'll give it try!" He blurted out as he quickly made his way out of the building before she could say another word.

As he left the building he started to run outside the city and into the nearby field on route 30, while he mumbled to himself, asking what was that nurse's problem to himself on the way. He headed deeper into the bushes and took a look around to make sure there wasn't anyone around.

"Come out Mawile." The teen called as he threw his pokeball into the air, and out came his loyal partner.

Mawile gave him a low-spirited smile. The red haired teen gave the pokemon a most cross look in return.

"If it wasn't for you..." he kicked the little pokemon to the ground "being so damn weak!" he continued his assault on the poor thing, as it started to cry.

"Shut up!" He fumed as he kicked his companion harder. His body was starting to shake from the anger and his mawile, shaking from fear.

"You are completely useless! Can't even beat a weak pidgey!" The red haired trainer screamed louder, stomping the poor thing. Mawile continued crying and whimpering in desperation, the sounds becoming muffled as he knelt to the ground and covered the pokemon's mouth, starting to choke it.

"You are going to win, you hear me? You are going to win no matter what... if you don't..." Mawile made small gagging noises as it gasped for air, flailing it's arms around. After a few seconds the sounds of struggling had stopped. It finally gave up. Losing strength in it's body, it fell limp with a soft thud.

He finally let go once he noticed it stopped moving and stood up, throwing a few pieces of pokemon food pellets on the ground. After laying there for a few pregnant moments and letting out a few coughs, mawile slowly crawled over and frantically ate all of it.

"Let's see some attacks."

Mawile looked up at him desperately, as if asking him to stop.

"What are you looking at huh?! You'll get more when you put in more work!" After staring at the ground for a minute and wiping it's face, mawile got up and weakly attacked a tree.

"Keep going and use more power! You call that an attack?! Do it harder!"

A few hours passed and it was already afternoon. After some more beatings he put mawile back into it's pokeball after it passed out from exhaustion. He wandered around, lost in thought for a while. There had to be a way to get stronger he thought to himself. Mawile was losing every single battle in spite of the training. What was he doing wrong exactly? But he was hungry, he need to get something to eat. Maybe afterward he'll find a trainer to battle.

 _–-_

"Hey come on! I'm gonna leave you behind!" A boy yelled to me as he flew down the long flight of stairs. I was always impressed at how athletic he was. Everything was so easy for him. I quickly ran after him as fast as I could but lost my footing in my haste and tumbled down in a most ungraceful way. I made loud thumping sounds on my way down and he heard this, turning around and noticing me falling.

"Oh no, watch out!" He panicked as he threw himself on the carpet, skidding hard in front of the stairs to catch me like a baseball player. His shoulder length red hair had become frazzled, falling all around his face in a mess as I tumbled right into his arms and he winced as held me while standing back up.

"You okay?" The boy asked as he squeezed me tightly. He had bright red carpet burns on his arms from where he slid on the carpet. I gently placed my hand on his left arm without thinking and he winced. I looked back into his gray eyes with a doleful expression. He hurt himself to save me again...

A big goofy grin quickly appeared on his face, trying to hide how much it hurt. He would always do this. It didn't fool me anymore.

"It's nothing! Don't worry about it!" He exclaimed while making his way into the living room. I shook my head and wriggled free from his arms and dragged him into the bathroom. He kept saying how it's no big deal as I pulled him inside, but I wasn't having any of it.

His father was still gone from yesterday and his mother was still somewhere faraway according to his father. So it was up to me to take care of him. This is how it was most days. Just me and him alone in this house. I could tell Lyle was a bit lonely even if he never showed it.

I opened the cabinet below the sink and grabbed the first aid kit. I had the small boy sit on the stool in the room and hold out his arms. Luckily he was wearing a short sleeve dark blue shirt, so he didn't need to take it off. Then I grabbed the basin that was sitting next to the bathtub and turned on the faucet, filling it with cold water. This was also a good chance to wash my own hands.

"Come on Plum I'm fine. You don't need to do this." Always playing the tough and cool kid. I ignored him and brought the basin filled with cool water under his outstretched arms and raised it until they were submerged. He let out a small yowl as the burns were covered in cool water. Not such a tough kid now are you?

I kept him like this for ten minutes. But they weren't quiet as he told me about the things he learned in school today. He didn't have many friends and he would always say that I'm the only one who understands him. Which is funny since we can't actually talk to each other. But we did communicate easily enough.

It's already been a year since his father Walter found me in the middle of nowhere and brought me home with him. I don't remember anything before then. I was introduced to his son Lyle who took a shine to me almost right away. We became fast friends. Everyday we would play together after he got home from school. He didn't have a pokeball, so I had to stay in the house alone while I waited for him to come back. Even though they told me not to, I would follow him out anyway or sneak out sometimes to go play with a friend that I had made. Though that friend insisted that we were brother and sister. I played along to make him happy. I wanted to introduce him to Lyle but he insisted that he didn't want to interact with humans. I decided to respect his wishes.

I checked the clock in the room and the minute hand had moved ten marks. There were a lot of things I had to learn when I came to live here. Since his father wasn't home that often, I decided to learn a bunch of things to help Lyle. Telling time and first aid were just a few of them. Lyle was always hurting himself with his recklessness. I wanted to help him.

I took away the basin and dumped the water. Opening the first aid kit, I grabbed the burn ointment from inside. I took the cap off and smelled it to make sure. While I did learn how to read a little bit from Lyle, there were tons of words I couldn't quite make out yet. Reading was difficult. The talking part was practically impossible for me. We had to use a memory method of learning words.

Pressing the tube between both my hands, I squeezed out a line of the ointment on his arms. Then I gently rubbed it into his skin. It seemed to have a soothing effect as he didn't react as badly this time.

"That feels nice..." He sighed as he closed his eyes. I smiled at him and decided I wanted to give him a little reward. I quickly finished up, wiping my hands off on a towel and grabbed the cotton pads and bandages from the first aid kit. For each arm I placed cotton pads over the burns and wrapped them up in bandages. This wasn't the first time I had to do this, so I was already used to it. Lyle was watching me with wide eyes the whole time.

After I was done I smiled and lead him into the living room. The entire room was lit up in an orange hue from the sun. Looks like it was going to get dark soon.

I made him sit down in front of the sofa and wait with one of my firm death glares. He patiently waited while I ran upstairs to his room and grabbed his comb and brush. His reward was going to be me brushing and combing his hair. And maybe playing with it...

He almost never did it himself and it would be a complete disaster if I did nothing. I had to wonder why he kept it this long if he wasn't going to take proper care of it.

When I got back down, I jumped up on the couch behind him and patted him on the head for waiting patiently like a good boy. He complained that I was treating him like a baby, but he quickly shut up once I started to run my hands through his hair. From what I understood, it wasn't very common for male humans to have long hair like this. It was really soft and silky to the touch. It was also parted down the middle so it didn't cover his face. Truthfully, I really liked to play with his hair. Which is probably why I didn't mind fixing it for him all the time. And I had a feeling he liked it when I did it for him, which might be why he rarely did it himself.

I first grabbed the plastic comb with my right hand and slowly ran it through his tangled knots. I went even slower when I found a knot so as to not hurt him. Lyle was making content murmurs throughout this whole thing. After a few minutes of this, all the knots were out and I replaced the comb in my hand for the brush. I don't know what it was made of but it was slightly firm, but also pretty soft as well. A weird balance between the two. I ran my left hand throughout his hair again. There we go, now all it needs is a good brush.

I used a technique of first running though the hair with the brush softly, and then rubbing the area with my hand right after. I doubt this did anything better, but Lyle seemed to really like it. I continued like this quietly for a while, occasionally stopping to pull away a stray hair. I glanced down at his face, and he was already nodding off. I couldn't help but chuckle quietly at him. I decided to keep going until he was all the way asleep.

–-

I quickly awoke with a start. Where am I? I could swear I was just with Lyle in the den. Was all that a dream? I don't know, but it was dark. I could barely make anything out in front of me. There was a distinct moist and musky smell and the ground was made of solid granite. I tapped my foot against it to make sure. I then took a few steps forward into the darkness before crashing into something. I jumped back in surprise and extended my arms to feel it. It was hard and solid like the floor beneath me. It was just a wall. Don't freak out I told myself.

I glanced around again. The only thing I could make out was the shadowy and soupy silhouettes everywhere. They all blended together. Every so often I heard an echoing drip sound. Like a droplet of water falling in the distance in a cavern. Yes that's where I was. A cave. But how did I get here? How long have I been here? I tried to remember but my mind was blank.

I looked over my body. Just another shadowy silhouette due to the lack of lighting. I raised my right hand and placed it on the top of my head. After reaching around I felt something protruding out the top of it. I traced my hand along the protrusion, and felt an opening. It was rather long, I couldn't reach across the entire thing with my hand. It also had sharp fangs inside of it. It was like a mouth. That was on my head. I wonder if I could move it. I tried and the mouth slowly opened and closed. That was weird. This doesn't seem right. I moved my hand down the rest of my body. It was soft. But rather small. Almost like it was much smaller than I expected.

No wait, this felt familiar. Oh yes, I was inside a pokeball. My pokeball. The fabricated scenery around me told me as much. This time it was a cavern. It was so dark. Plus I was all alone. But everything was starting to come back. Lyle set the pokeball to a dark cave as a punishment. He was so angry from losing again that he beat me and made me train until I passed out. With barely any food.

I instantly started crying, remembering my dream. He's changed so much that the time from before was all but a dream now. He just keeps me inside here now and only lets me out to eat and fight. The tears just kept coming. I wiped my face over and over but they wouldn't stop. This was like a nightmare. I was trapped in here until Lyle decided to use me again. I couldn't even remember the last time he called me by my name.

Suddenly there was a voice echoing in the cave. It was Lyle. Before I even came out he was already calling an attack. Please... no more, I can't do this anymore...

I was suddenly surrounded by blinking light and felt something pulling on my body.

–-

"Go Mawile use bite!" Lyle yelled as he threw a pokeball. The small pokemon appeared in a state of confusion before realizing it's situation. It had tear stained cheeks but nobody seemed to notice. It slowly made it's way to it's opponent, a fairly small green gecko looking pokemon.

As the mawile approached it's target it waved the jaw like appendage on it's head to bite at it's opponent.

"Treecko! Dodge it!" Another young trainer yelled, this one with brown hair, wearing blue jean shorts and a white t-shirt. As the boy finished yelling his command his partner Treecko, easily dodged the attack aimed at it.

"Yeah! Now use pound!" The same trainer yelled right afterward while pointing at the mawile. The small gecko pokemon quickly made it's way over to the opposing mawile, who was stumbling from the missed bite attack. As he got closer the treecko leaped high into the air and slammed his tail on the head of his opponent who fell down, knocked out in one hit.

"Yes! I win again!" The brown haired boy screamed with enthusiasm, while jumping up and down.

"I can't believe I lost again..." The red haired trainer said as he fell to the ground, pounding his fist into the ground.

"Hey." The brown haired boy said as he pointed his finger at the red haired young man. He looked up and glared at the boy.

"That is one weak mawile man. I mean it's a steel type and it can't even take attacks it's supposed to be resistant against!" The boy said as he started to laugh. Lyle started growling.

"You should get rid of that weakling." The young trainer told the losing trainer as he started walking off with his treecko right behind him.

As soon as the boy was out of sight, the young man got to his feet and walked over to his defeated pokemon.

"Hey get up." the boy called to his pokemon but there was no response. The mawile appeared to be out cold.

"Hmph, return you weakling." The boy mumbled as he started to pull out a pokeball to call it back but then he stopped.

"That guy was right, you are a weakling and I should just leave you here. I might have better luck with one of professor elm's starter pokemon..." the red haired teen mumbled to himself as he put away his pokeball and proceeded to walk away, leaving the pokemon out cold on the field they were in.

–-

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a sharp pain throughout my body. It felt like a train had hit me.

As the pain vanished, I managed to slowly pull myself to my feet. I started to get a good look at my surroundings and I noticed it was dark. I seem to be waking up in darkness a lot lately.

I rubbed my throbbing head, the pain making it's known return. I took another look around me and the more I looked around, the more I worried I got. This wasn't a cave, so I wasn't in my pokeball. I was in some kind of field. Lyle was nowhere to be found either.

I pulled my arms around me as I felt a cold breeze blow by. Did he just leave me here? I knew he was always saying he was going to abandon me, but I figured he was always just saying it to get me to try harder I suppose. Guess he wasn't lying.

I perked up a little, HA! What do I need him for? He only took care of me, grew up with me, fed me, and is everything I've ever known... but he also beat me, abused me, and yelled a lot...

It wasn't always like this. When he was little he was always so nice and caring, always playing with me.

Everything first began when he turned thirteen and started high school. And it only got worse from there. I knew how hard it was for him to learn the truth about his mother, that she was no longer alive. Coupled with his father slowly becoming a belligerent drunk.

I wanted to stay by his side and support him. I wanted to make him feel better.

But eventually it all became too much. He started to take everything out on me. All the anger, frustration and sorrow.

These last two years I just thought if I endured the abuse long enough and gave him as much kindness as I could muster, he could make it though the pain.

I was wrong.

I failed. I failed. I failed. I failed. I failed. I failed.

I FAILED TO HELP HIM!

And what did I get for all that patience and kindness? Nothing. I was used up and thrown away like a piece of trash. Did all the years we spent together mean nothing to him!?

I'm all alone in the dark and no one is coming for me. I'm all on my own now. I'm just a weak pokemon nobody cares about anymore.

Tears began to flood from my eyes again and I furiously wiped them, but it was no use. I couldn't stop crying. My emotions were already at a fever pitch, wanting to release everything that I've felt for these last two years.

I screamed into the darkness with everything I had.

* * *

Hi. This is the start of a rewrite that I'm doing for abandoned. You can read the first version if you like, but it's pretty bad I'm warning you. This was my attempt to make it better as you would call it. If it works out, great. If not, that's fine too. I was going to just wait until I finished everything but I wanted to gauge this first chapter at least.


	2. Downfall

Everything I've done up until now.

All the memories I've made.

Everything I learned.

In the end it was all for nothing.

I spent my entire life with him. Comforting him, laughing with him, playing with him, and learning so many things from him. He was the reason I tried so hard to learn things like reading and first aid. I wanted to take care of him like he took care of me.

The time he tried to teach me how to cook when he couldn't even cook himself. The time he came to find me after I'd gotten lost in the woods. How he'd leave his hair messed up on purpose so I'd fix it for him. How he shared his food with me, even though he barely had enough to feed himself. He even protected me from his father's drunken tirades. And countless other memories.

He was my entire world. He was... everything to me.

Just a little longer I kept thinking. I only need to hold on a little longer. And the Lyle that I knew; the one I grew up with would come back to me.

But I was a fool.

The Lyle I knew had long since been gone. I tried so hard to find out what was wrong with him, but he simply shut me out. He shut everything out. He just stopped feeling anything. It's as if he was possessed by some kind of demon.

I just didn't understand...

Why didn't he tell me how much he was hurting!? I could have helped him... I would have done anything!

All our time together meant nothing to him.

I... meant nothing to him.

My entire life had been a lie.

Everything.

It was all... a lie.

I couldn't even control my own body anymore. I was hunched over, sobbing uncontrollably on the ground while holding my face in my hands. Tears were spilling out from under them, soaking the grass beneath me.

The darkness of the night felt like it was closing in on me. The light of the moon seemed as if it would whisk me off to another world.

It was too much. I couldn't take it. The pain was even worse than when he would hit me, or when he starved me, or even when he left me in isolation. At least then I knew he was still nearby.

But this was different. I knew he really was gone this time. And he was never coming back. What am I supposed to do now!?

I clutched my hand against my chest. My heart was thumping harder than ever. There was a sharp stinging pain throughout my chest with each erratic beat.

The pain was so strong that I felt as if I was dying. Like a tight invisible fist around my heart. Slowly squeezing it tighter and tighter, crushing me to death.

It hurts... someone... please save me...

–-

"Here you go, your Chikorita is doing just fine!" Nurse Joy happily said as she placed a tray holding a pokeball on a counter. A girl with shoulder length brown hair, wearing what appeared to be a green girl scout uniform reached up and grabbed it with a smile while expressing her thanks.

"Thank you!" She said louder than necessary, earning a few glances from random trainers around the room. As she turned to make her way out the door, she was stopped by a concerned Joy.

"Where are you going? It's already starting to get really late... don't you think you should stay here for the night?" The girl quickly waved her hand.

"Right before I came in here, I could swear I heard a scream. I was just going to check it out real quick." The pink haired nurse pursed her lips.

"Huh? This late at night? That can't possibly be good... maybe someone should come with you to be safe." She was given an eager 'don't worry' smile.

"It's fine! No need to worry! I'll be back before you know it!" She exclaimed as she dashed out the doors in the direction of route 31.

With a sigh the nurse mumbled to herself.

"That's when I'm worried the most..."

With that she decided to follow the girl herself and asked her Chansey in the back to watch the counter for a little while before dashing off after the girl.

After several minutes of walking the girl had reached the spot where she thought she heard someone or something screaming. It was faint, but it was definitely a scream.

"Come out Chikorita." She said as she held out a pokeball and it opened with flash, beaming out her partner, who had a small light green body, piercing red eyes, with small seeds like a necklace around it's neck. This all accented the large leaf on it's head.

She knelt down and asked Chikorita to help spot anything that may be around. It waved it's large head leaf as if saying 'leave it to me'.

Chikorita sniffed around for a little while and seemed to pick up some sort of scent before dashing off with it's trainer close behind.

–-

After what felt like an eternity my tears had finally dried up. I stood up and wandered around in a trance for hours. There wasn't a soul in sight the entire time. As if the world was completely still at this moment.

I didn't know where I was going. And I didn't care.

I could be finding a place to die for all I know.

There wasn't anything left for me anymore.

My mind was hazy. I could barely think anymore. I couldn't even feel anything anymore. My entire body felt numb.

When finally, the fatigue and hunger caught up to me. I fell to the ground as my vision started to fade before giving myself over to the gentle embrace of darkness.

–-

I woke up and found myself inside a small room. The walls were a light shade of blue. The bed was neatly made with a pikachu comforter on top of it. The floor was covered in cheap black carpet, with a few simple pieces of oak furniture around the room. There was also a bookshelf with various guides to learning new skills. Cooking, first aid, grammar, and spelling books among others. It was already close to dusk as the room was illuminated a bright orange from the setting sun.

I knew this. This was Lyle's room when he was younger.

What is this?! What's going on!?

Why am I seeing this now? This must be some kind of cruel joke.

Everything then suddenly came back to me.

I was wandering around in the night after Lyle left me and I must have collapsed. All of this wasn't real. It couldn't be.

I heard a sound outside and ran over to look out the window. It was Lyle and... me. They were kicking a ball back and forth to each other in the backyard. The autumn trees around them swaying with the wind.

We did that all the time when he was little. I went to kick the ball and missed, falling over. Lyle smiled like a dork at her.. me and threw some dead leaves on her. That smile...

I clutched my left hand over my chest as it started to tighten.

I've had enough. I can't this watch anymore. This Lyle didn't exist anymore. He was dead.

I turned around and ran out the door into the hallway.

As I hurried my way down the hall I heard a splash of water coming from inside a room. Without a thought I opened the door and Lyle was inside taking a bath with me in the bathroom tub.

This can't be real... why is this...?!

"Haha! Take that!" Lyle yelled as he splashed water on me. I yelped and retaliated back at him, laughing all the while.

No, stop!

I turned and ran out the room, fanatically rushing down the stairs.

Please make this stop, enough already! I yelled.

I already wanted to die, does someone think that I haven't suffered enough already?!

Then suddenly I heard yelling. It was coming from the living room. I warily made my way over and saw Lyle with his father stumbling around the room as he usually did when he was home. The TV was turned on, but there was just static on the screen.

"Dad... can I have some money for food?" Lyle weakly pleaded.

"Food? You already ate all the food in the house you little shit?! Why don't you go get a job or something? With all the damn money I spend on fucking food... shit!"

He angrily slammed his hand on the table and made the wine glass sitting on it fall and break. Lyle flinched and they both glanced down at it. Lyle's father gained a twisted sort of look on his face.

"Look what you made me do! Shit! How are you gonna pay for this?! Uggghhhh..." He groaned before emptying the contents of his stomach all over the wooden floor.

He wiped the vomit off his face with his sleeve and reached into his pocket, pulling out a couple bills.

"Here, try not to spend it all in one place..." He said in a slur as he threw the bills on the table and stumbled out the door, mumbling about needing another drink.

Time paused for a moment, the sound of static permeating the room before Lyle meekly reached over and grabbed the money, squeezing it as tightly as he could in his fist.

I remember this. I was hiding the same way I was now as I did so many other times.

Even when I tried to help, Lyle would stop me. He took everything on by himself.

Tears were already streaming down my face before I realized it.

Eventually it must have broken him. How did I not notice?

I slowly backed up into the wall behind me.

This was a nightmare.

The room was then suddenly engulfed in darkness. I couldn't even see my own hand in front of my face.

That's when the ground started to swallow me. The floor had warped into some kind of black tar like substance. I tried to struggle free but it was no use. The more I moved around, the more stuck I got.

I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out. My voice was gone.

I sunk deeper and deeper, finally resigning to my fate.

When I was finally engulfed, I took a look around. In every direction there was nothing but blackness.

My body wouldn't move anymore either. I was trapped. There was no escape.

Suddenly, I felt like I was suffocating. Within seconds I was desperately gasping for air.

I felt myself starting to slip away.

I could tell I was slowly dying. But I wasn't even struggling anymore as I had already accepted it.

It's better this way. At least the suffering will stop. I can finally rest. For eternity.

–-

"I'm glad you decided to be reckless just this one time Liz." The girl smiled at her and looked back into the glass window of the room where the sleeping mawile they found was. The lights were already turned off in the room, with only dim red lights illuminating the hallway they were standing in.

Mawile was cold and starving out there, and Joy said it was dangerously close to dying. Something that wasn't physical she called it. Wasn't natural. Like it lost the will to live or something. She couldn't even comprehend how someone could treat their pokemon like this. She wanted to punch the person responsible. Her Chikorita brushed it's leaf against her ankle and she picked it up, nuzzling against it.

She then felt a person's hand patting her on the back a few minutes later.

"I know you're worried, but you need to get some sleep. You can see Mawile tomorrow."

Liz shook her head.

"Just a little bit longer, please." Joy sighed.

"Alright, just promise me you'll go to bed soon."

"Mhm. I promise."

Joy brought her a small chair, and Liz stayed there until she fell asleep.

–-

A blinding white light roused me from my sleep as I found myself in a small room filled with various machines. Every few seconds I heard a light beeping sound and I had leads attached to various parts of my body. I was laying on a tall and white exam bed. I slowly sat up.

My body felt heavy. Even if I wanted to, I probably couldn't move much right now.

Where am I? Last I remember I was... dying. I felt as if should cry some more, but nothing came out. My tears were already dry.

I glanced around the room and noticed a small square window. The sky was light blue outside so it must have already been daytime the next day. I must have been knocked out almost half a day.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" A woman with pink hair said as she walked into the room via sliding doors. I glanced up at her with empty eyes.

"Are you feeling okay? The IV line seemed to do the trick." She said as she gazed at me with gentle eyes and walked over, placing her hand on my head. My body tensed up from her touch, but I didn't resist.

I looked down at my arm and there was a piece of plastic sticking out with fluids running though it. Guess she was right. Looks like this woman saved me. She was doing various things like checking my vitals and looking over some sort of chart that was hanging off the side of the bed.

This must be a pokemon center then. After I passed out, she must have found me and brought me here.

She turned away soon afterward and started typing away on a computer next to the bed.

Suddenly another girl came rushing into the room. She had short brown hair and had on a green dress.

"Nurse Joy! Is Mawile doing okay?!" She made eye contact with me. I stared though her.

"Shush... Liz, Mawile is okay, but it's still very weak right now." The girl covered her mouth and looked back at me before removing her hands.

"Is it okay if I stay in here?"

"Mhm... just try not to get in my way okay?"

The girl walked closer to me and leaned down, looking me right in the eye. I instinctively wanted to look away.

"Hi there... yesterday was probably really scary for you wasn't it? You were out there all alone and everything..."

There was a small light green pokemon on her shoulder. A Chikorita. It was giving me a sad smile and asking if I was okay.

Who were they? Why are they talking to me? Why do they care? They don't know me. I slowly lowered my eyes, tuning them out.

"Mmmm..."

The girl looked back at the nurse.

"What is it? Is something wrong with Mawile?"

"No, everything looks completely fine. Just a little more rest and it will be fine. I think we should leave mawile alone for a while, it still needs more time to recover." The nurse glanced back at me.

"Then isn't that great?" The girl and her chikorita smiled back at me. They seemed really happy.

I didn't care.

Why did they save me? I was supposed to die back there. No, I was meant to die. So why did they have to mess everything up?!

To be forced to keep living when all you want to do is die is the... worst. I hate them. I laid back down, ignoring them as they walked out of the room.

I need to get out of here. I need to go die.

–-

That night during her rounds, Nurse Joy found an empty bed.

Mawile had disappeared.


	3. Fateful Encounters

Before I knew it the sky was already dark. I found myself in a familiar position with the full moon hanging above my head. I didn't even consider what exactly I would do after I fled the pokemon center. I've already been wandering around for hours. I thought I'd be long dead by now.

At this point, I couldn't feel much of anything anymore. I felt empty inside. Where can I go? Where can I go to make everything end?

Then I heard a faint voice. Someone was actually out at this hour? I couldn't help but follow the sound. It was... kind of a haunting melody and there was also the occasional soft giggle between verses. I felt my skin crawl involuntarily as the notes pierced through my body.

Was this fear?

The voice was gentle and beautiful but also filled with incredible sorrow. It was also creepily inviting. As if it was offering the salvation of death. Exactly what I was looking for.

Wading through some thick bushes lead me a small meadow. And right there floating over a small pond lit up by the moonlight... was the source. It was a ghost….. no it was a pokemon. It was facing away from me but it had a dark purplish body with a lighter shade trailing around it's edges. It's head resembled a hat. Kind of like a witch.

Now that I was closer the song was having a much more profound effect on me. My body was actually trembling. Every instinct within me screamed for me to run away. But I didn't listen to it. If I stayed here and listened long enough, I wonder if I would die? I laid down on the grass while keeping my cover in the bushes and let the song envelope me. Her voice was so wistful I could practically feel all the emotions pouring out from it.

But the lyrics were... unsettling to say the least.

"They all gathered under the red moon~"

"Drowning in a sea of evil... never to be saved~"

"Falling.. blue masks of deception~"

"The maelstrom of laughter to the voices in prayer~"

"A lullaby of fear and hatred~"

"Cursed words, full of malice~"

"A look of disdain~"

"All lumps of desire in a spiraling wound~"

"In a twisted position, the body of the condemned.."

"Body blooming bright red~"

"Fingers all snapped and broken~"

"Pierced full of long needles..."

"The voice that fills the air all an empty scream."

"Please cry for salvation~"

"Light, hope, all a deception!"

"For trampled eyes cannot see a thing."

"Cut open the stomach and then... the neck~"

"All the insides spilled out.."

"Decapitated head."

"Now.."

"Let death be your salvation."

"Please... believe... in your salvation~"

"And just.."

" **DIE.** "

"Hee hee hee."

She. Yes she.

Was saying, no, singing such horrible lyrics in the most gentle voice you can imagine. Her voice was angelic but the words… they were...

Before I knew it I was drawn in. It was strangely hypnotizing and relaxing. My body felt so weird. Like I wasn't in control of it anymore. I couldn't get up even if I wanted to. My spirit was practically leaving my body.

Whoever this was, they made my despair seem diminutive. If anyone listened to this song long enough they'd also be consumed.

Now it made sense why I didn't see anyone or anything on my way here. Any sane creature would run from something like this.

I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I slowly drifted away, hoping this would be the last time.

That I could finally rest forever.

…..

Except at that moment the voice suddenly stopped.

A chill ran down my spine.

I was completely awake now.

I chanced a glace upwards and there were piercing red eyes looking through me. Even from the distance we were at, that look was having an effect on me.

My body froze up. I felt terror enveloping my body as she floated down to me.

Finally, she was no less than one meter away from me. Just staring. Silently.

"…."

"….."

"…."

"….."

"What are you doing out here?" She finally asked in a most genteel accent. Completely different from when she was singing. Almost.. caring..

I just looked at her, stunned into silence.

And then she smiled at me. A gentle smile, devoid of any malice. It didn't make sense.

"I see… so you must have heard that…" She then paused for a moment.

"I thought I was being careful.." She shook her head lightly and came closer to me. We were practically touching. The terror from before had all but evaporated. I couldn't understand it. Why?

"Am I dead?" I suddenly asked her. She looked perplexed by my question however.

"You aren't dead, just very tired and hungry from the looks of it. And… there's something else." She suddenly lifted me off the ground with psychic and looked into my eyes intently. The hold wasn't very tight, as I felt as I could still move around if I wanted. I wanted to look away from those intense eyes. It felt as if they were peering into my very soul. I felt exposed. I wanted to vanish.

"You've given up on living haven't you?" I could feel my face heat up in response to her question. My eyes darted around, trying to look at anything but what was in front of me. Like I was embarrassed that she knew I felt this way.

She seemed to pick up on this as well.

"Maybe I shouldn't have asked that…. oh and I'm sorry for picking you up." She set me on the ground gently, so I was standing in front of her. My body felt slightly more energetic than before. She must have done something to me. But I didn't notice when she did it at all. I should leave. I need to go. I have to get away from her. But my body wouldn't move. And it wasn't because of fear this time. I couldn't tell what it was.

"I'm Holly. What's your name?"

I didn't want to be here, I wanted to disappear already. Enough already. I'm tired of this. I didn't answer her question.

"..."

"Well that's okay. You don't have to tell me right away. Could you come with me maybe? I'm staying with a friend. We can help you out there." Again, I didn't answer.

"..."

"I guess it makes sense you don't trust me. Since you heard my song… but just forget about it okay? I promise I don't mean you any harm." She gave me a little space and smiled at me again. I just kept looking at her. I suppose not really looking 'at' but through. I was a little disappointed. At this particular moment I could tell she didn't have any ill intentions.

"..."

"You aren't opposed to it then?" I don't care anymore. It doesn't matter. Nothing does.

"Well… okay. Follow me." She turned and floated away. But I just stood there. After a moment she looked back at me and noticed I wasn't following and came back over.

"Oh… well excuse me." She picked me up again with psychic. I didn't see any point in trying to resist.

Why was she trying to help me anyway? Why does she care? When she goes around signing a song of death. I just couldn't understand it.

–

I completely lost track of time as Holly slowly pulled me alongside her through the air. Eventually we came up to a cave and she mumbled something to herself before a small blue flame appeared above her head, the bright blue light illuminating the pitch black cave.

It felt weird being slowly dragged along through the air. Is this how it feels to fly? I almost wanted to start swimming but I stopped myself when I realized this place reminded me of the pokeball Lyle had trapped me in for so long. The fear and despair was quickly returning but I didn't have it in me to even try and resist anymore.

Holly started talking to me once we were deeper inside, with me silently listening. She explained where we were located, the cave being named dark cave of all things. What kinds of pokemon live here, which was mostly lots of geodude and zubat in this entrance area. But it got more dangerous the deeper you go in.

She also explained how she was on a journey with her sister to 'somewhere' and a friend was hosting them while they rested for a few days. She didn't get that far before jumping into another subject. I halfway tuned her out, but I was wondering why she was alone out there singing something like…. that in the first place. I'm fairly certain it was the move perish song but much more potent. There was nothing natural about it.

After a few twisting tunnels there was a dim bluish light coming from around a corner. Holly put out her flames as we neared the corner.

"We're here." She said as we rounded the corner. There was a small lake inside the room. It was deeper than you'd think as well with some light emitting from the depths. I wondered what created that light. There were several paths leading to this area, with about three other entrances besides the one we used. Perfect place to get lost for years if you have no sense of direction.

We floated next to the lake and Holly sat me gently against a rock that was a few paces away. It was slightly damp and cool. The gentle light of the lake and the cool air made me instantly relax a little.

"Now where did that sister of mine go? I told her not to wander around inside here." The ghost mumbled to herself as she glanced around the area before looking back at me.

"Stay here okay? Mist should be back soon. She'll take care of you." She told me before heading off in search of her sister. I decided to listen to her. For no real reason. It was probably more trouble to try and leave anyway. Just beyond this room is pitch black and I don't see why anyone would want to live here. Unless you can see in the dark of course.

So I was left all alone just sitting here. With only the occasional echoing drop of water to keep me company. My body still felt a bit numb from being carried earlier but the feeling was starting to come back now. At the very least, I think I could move around if I tried.

I was scared to let my mind wander, so I tried to focus on my surroundings. From what I could tell, there wasn't anything in the lake. I couldn't hear anything moving around either. It was eerie. But I didn't exactly feel safe with that songstress of death from earlier.

Maybe I should try and get up.

I placed my arms on the ground next to me and slowly lifted myself up. I felt all wobbly and could barely hold my horns up but I was able to stand. I slowly walked to the edge of the lake and peered into it. There was my reflection. My tired, disheveled, tear stained face.

I splashed some water on my face. Then again. And again. And again. Over and over. Until it dissolved into a small splashing tantrum. I had started crying again.

The noise seemed to have woke something up and there was a figure darting toward the surface now. Right at me. I fell over ungracefully as it shot out of the water, onto the ground right behind me. Water was now splashing all over me and it was making loud splashing sounds. Splash splash splash. This continued for a few seconds until I turned to look at it.

"Karp karp karp karp karp!" the splashing figure went and I just stared for a moment. It was an orange fish with big wide empty eyes. They didn't have any sort of expression in them, they just stared ahead at nothing. It's... a magikarp? The magikarp just kept flopping there weakly constantly repeating itself.

Until it finally locked eyes with me.

"Uhh hey? Can ye help me lassie? I'm kinda stuck..." The magikarp had finally stopped flopping around and was addressing me, at least I think it was. I walked over in front of the now still magikarp. It watched me with those wide empty looking eyes and I stared back. Stare...

"Umm.."

"Great, now could ye be a lamb and help me back into the water?" That last part was mumbled so it was kinda hard to hear.

Without thinking I moved behind the fish and start to push him back toward the lake. Wow, fish sure are slimy. He fidgets a bit under my hands as I finally get him back into the water. Then magikarp makes a big leap out of the water out of joy. It floated over to me and smiled.

"You have my thanks little miss. And might I say what nice soft hands you have." His smile starts to look a bit off and I just kinda just reel back slowly, waving my hands in front of my face while making a fake smile.

"S-sure... uhh no problem." I said while awkwardly looking around to avoid eye contact.

"Right. I be the great Leviathan!" He said with a small splash for emphasis. I glanced back at him and the weird look was gone. Ugh… I'm not really in the mood for this. I turned around and walked away, ignoring him. His huge eyes got even bigger as I turned away.

"H-hey! Wait! Where are you going? It's only polite to introduce yourself as well when someone does it first! And I'm pretty sure you were the one who woke me up, so it's the least ye can do lassie."

I paused mid step and considered turning around but decided it wasn't worth talking to this weirdo. And I just didn't have the energy to deal with this right now. I continued walking until I was out of the room, into one of the tunnels. I'd rather be in the pitch black tunnel than talk to that fish right now…

"Wait! That way is dangerous! There are some strong pokemon that way! Waittttt!"

Finally. I think I'm far enough away so that I don't have to hear that grating voice anymore. Yet when I turned to head back, I realized I was lost.

That's weird.. I could have sworn I only headed in one direction. But everything looks the same in here. I couldn't see the blue light from the lake here either. No big deal I'll head back the way I came.

At that moment something quickly swooped down in my direction and knocked me to the ground. It was pitch black, so I couldn't tell what it was. There was an almost silent wing flapping sound emanating from it however. I didn't have much time to think however as the sound got a bit louder, indicating it was coming down for another attack. I rolled over and barely managed to dodge the second dive. But there was no time to rest as it quickly swooped down again. I couldn't react in time and was sent flying against the wall.

I coughed as the air was knocked from my lungs and quickly stood up and looked around trying to locate my assailant. But there was no use since I couldn't see a thing. It wasn't moving either as the wing flap sounds had stopped. Without thinking I made a break for it in the direction the lake was. Or at the very least, the way I remembered it was. But as I made my way away an ear splitting screech pierced my ears, reverberating throughout my whole body. Before I knew it I was on the floor paralyzed. All my senses were disorientated. Couple that with the darkness and I couldn't tell up from down or if something was right in front of me. I gave up right at that moment. Why did I resist so hard in the first place? Maybe it was just instinct? But now I'll become simple prey. Just lunch for some creature.

Is this finally where it ends?

Then suddenly the entire cavern lights up in a brilliant flash of yellow light. Along with the sound of electricity crackling, something frying, and then loud frantic flapping in a direction away from me. Even in my disorientated state, I could see and hear it clearly.

From a bit further down the cave a bright red light was moving towards me until I could make out a figure. It was brown and star shaped from what I could tell. With the red light coming from it's center jewel like core.

"Ah there you are. Are you okay?" It knelt down and helped me up. Which I accepted without much thought. I said nothing in response however, avoiding looking at this star shaped pokemon. Why did you have to save me? I was finally gonna… and how are you talking?! No, it was like a gentle voice in my head. Telepathy?

"Well you seem okay at least. There are lots of golbat that hang around this area. It's not really a good idea to wander around here." I glared at it. Shut up.. what do you know? I didn't want your help anyway.

"…"

"You don't talk much do you?" It said as it placed one of it's limbs on it's side. Like sassy?

"Whatever, that's fine. In any case, I think you should follow me back to the lake. It's dangerous here."

I finally decided to at least make a simple gesture of nodding my head.

"Alright, finally some acknowledgment. You'll be okay. Just follow me." It said as it started walking back the way I came before. My feet just moved on their own in pursuit. And after a few long minutes of walking in silence, we were enveloped in the soft blue light from before. The starfish pokemon stopping in front of the lake and turning to me.

"I'm Mist by the way." I was already staring at the floor, barely listening. A long pause.

"I see you aren't in the mood to talk. Alright, I'll let you rest first. But this no talking thing has got to stop. I'll go get you some food, so stay here got it?" I gave it a slight nod as it pointed a limb at me.

"Also, I'm a Staryu. Mawile." It reprimanded me while walking away? Wait, how did you even know that? Don't tell me you can… oh crap…

I really wanted to go drown myself in the lake now.

"And no drowning yourself!"

"Ahhhhhh!"


End file.
